Chapter 45
There was a nice summer wind in the trees this lovely morning. Clarice lay in her bed, with her eyes closed.
The air was filled with flowers and the smell of fresh coffee. How many years had it been? Ten years a voice in the back of her head answered back. Ten years, and every Sunday he came with breakfast. She had been given strict orders not to get out of bed, it had how ever taken her years to get use to it, without having thinking that she didn't deserve it.
She had never in her life been dependent on others, she had taken care of her self, never overdoing it, the first few years they had been together she had felt like a spoiled brat, and she felt bad about it. Hannibal had talked to her, and now she enjoyed her self. She felt alive.
She couldn't remember ever being so happy as she was now. And the surprise she had for him, she truly hoped that it come as a big surprise. Somehow he always knew everything in advance or he knew what she was thinking, it was of cause a nice thing, but it made it hard telling him anything he didn't know.
But for the most part it was lovely, it gave more space for conversations on Dante or her past.
They had moved so many times in the past ten years, but now they where living in Japan, they had a nice mansion on a hill, with a view over the bay. And it was secluded; she had as Hannibal a thing for privacy.
The house it self was decorated in a renaissance mood, the house looked like any other until you stepped inside. Clarice love to be in the library, it had books from floor to ceiling, and an open fireplace. Clarice spent allot of her time there reading or talking with Hannibal.
Hannibal had arranged for her to work as a security consultant, but she found it to be tiresome, instead she devoted her time to other things. Hannibal had approved of this; he even encouraged her to do so. Hannibal worked as a well-known psychiatrist it allowed him to work the hours he liked.
But no matter what they where doing Sundays had become secret to them, as where Saturday evening.
Clarice had long since given up thinking about her old life, but today she thought of Brigham who died for nothing, Ardelia who had become section chief for behavior science. Crawford had died, or disappeared, who knew he was gone. Pearshall had become a politician, but had a rather unfortunate run in with a hooker; he had to hide away somewhere.
All her nemesis where gone, Ardelia tried still to capture Lecter because she was convince that he had kill Clarice.
It had never occurred to Clarice to tell Ardelia that. Clarice felt no need to tell her anything; it would only be used as a clue to their whereabouts. And that was a chance Clarice wasn't willing to take.
It was almost ironic to look at it now. Ardelia had the seat in the FBI that Clarice had once worked so hard to get, and now she was the hunter, she had been for 3 years.
And for those 3 years there had been no close encounters. Ardelia had never been close, and Clarice couldn't help but wonder why. Perhaps she was blinded.
Clarice had found heaven someplace she wouldn't have thought looking for it. of all the men in the world she had to end up with a cannibal. It was Clarice's private joke. Life had a funny way of turning out.
She could hear Hannibal in the kitchen. She wondered how he would be as a father, he was strict when it came to their safety, and if she looked away from the things he had done, then he was loving, he loved her, as she loved him. All people had some things that others saw as a mistake. Clarice had never asked him to stop, not in a thousand years.
Had he killed since she took up her roots and traveled with him? Yes, rude people were everywhere, and had he killed to keep them together, oh yes. Had he eaten them? And more important had she?
Clarice didn't know, and really, it wasn't something she thought about. Hannibal cooked from time to time, even though they had a staff en enjoyed it too much. Clarice never asked what it was; she only knew that it tasted wonderful. So the thought of her self as a cannibal didn't disturb her nearly as much as it should have.
Clarice opened her eyes; the room was bathed in lavish morning sunlight. The air streaming in from the open window cooled the white silk sheets.
Hannibal opened the door, he didn't look older then when she had seen him at Chesapeake, Clarice felt as young as ever, the years took gently to her, and now that she was pregnant she felt even younger.
Clarice often pictured herself, sitting at her desk in the bureau, looking twice as old as she was, doing nothing but paper work. It would have been a self made prison. Nothing at all like this.
She wondered why it took her ten years to see it; luckily he was there even when the last veil fell from her eyes. How long had he stood in the shadows and watched her, waiting.
Clarice felt sad thinking about all the wasted time, time she had lost. Hannibal of cause didn't see it that way, to him that time was as valuable as the time they have spent together.
Clarice looked owner of those maroon eyes; he was still standing in the door, his head slightly titled to the side.
"Good morning my dear, I trust you slept well." Hannibal walked into the room; his charisma filled the air and the room.
"Good morning my love, yes I slept very well. At least for the time you let me sleep." Clarice shot him a sheepish grin as he moved over to the bedside. Carefully arranging the breakfast.
"As I recall my dear, it was your request that kept us from sleeping." Clarice knew the battle was lost, but not the war she would get back at him.
Clarice looked at the arranged fruits, she didn't feel hungry, but she tried to eat a little.
Well better get this over with. "There is something we should talk about." Hannibal didn't miss the serious note in her voice. "Have you notice any changes around here lately?" Clarice tried to keep her voice light. "Hmm." Hannibal took time to go through his memory palas. "No, why do you ask?"
"Well there could be some major changes around here." Clarice had never thought about having an abort until now, what if he didn't want a child, and what kind of life could they offer a child, they where on the run. Clarice suddenly became nervous.
"Clarice what are you talking about?" well here goes. "I'm pregnant."
At the very moment Clarice wished for a camera, Hannibal's mouth stood wide open and all his emotions was on his face. It was laughable if it hadn't been for the seriousness in it.
When Hannibal continued to say nothing but simply starred at her, she got worried, and started to babble. "I understand if you don't want it, I mean we're on the run, what kind of life is that to offer a child, it's just that." Hannibal laid his finger over her lips. "Hush." There was nothing but pure joy and love in his eyes, but it wasn't enough to settle Clarice.
Tears were beginning to show in Clarice's eyes. Hannibal removed the tray with the breakfast and moved closer. "shh. It's okay." He held Clarice to his chest, he could see that she was upset, but it had come as a great surprise to him, he had never thought that he would be a father, not even after all those years with Clarice. It would mean changes, but they where changes that he was willing to make. He was going to be a father.
When Clarice had calmed down, Hannibal continued to talk. "What made you think I wouldn't want to have a child?" he strokes her hair, while still holding her in his strong arms.
"I just thought, when you didn't say anything, that..." Clarice sobbed a bit more before continuing. "That you where disappointed with me."
Hannibal smiled to himself, his Starling ever so strong, even she needed to hear that he loved her.
"I love you Clarice, I would never be disappointed with you." He lifted up her chin and covered her lips with his own.
A/N as you can see this chapter is bit longer, but as I keep adding new chapters I thought it would be better to make the chapters longer so that I don't end up with a story that has 200+ chapters.
Tell dear reader if that is a good idea, longer but fewer chapters, I'm dying to hear.
There was a nice summer wind in the trees this lovely morning. Clarice lay in her bed, with her eyes closed.
The air was filled with flowers and the smell of fresh coffee. How many years had it been? Ten years a voice in the back of her head answered back. Ten years, and every Sunday he came with breakfast. She had been given strict orders not to get out of bed, it had how ever taken her years to get use to it, without having thinking that she didn't deserve it.
She had never in her life been dependent on others, she had taken care of her self, never overdoing it, the first few years they had been together she had felt like a spoiled brat, and she felt bad about it. Hannibal had talked to her, and now she enjoyed her self. She felt alive.
She couldn't remember ever being so happy as she was now. And the surprise she had for him, she truly hoped that it come as a big surprise. Somehow he always knew everything in advance or he knew what she was thinking, it was of cause a nice thing, but it made it hard telling him anything he didn't know.
But for the most part it was lovely, it gave more space for conversations on Dante or her past.
They had moved so many times in the past ten years, but now they where living in Japan, they had a nice mansion on a hill, with a view over the bay. And it was secluded; she had as Hannibal a thing for privacy.
The house it self was decorated in a renaissance mood, the house looked like any other until you stepped inside. Clarice love to be in the library, it had books from floor to ceiling, and an open fireplace. Clarice spent allot of her time there reading or talking with Hannibal.
Hannibal had arranged for her to work as a security consultant, but she found it to be tiresome, instead she devoted her time to other things. Hannibal had approved of this; he even encouraged her to do so. Hannibal worked as a well-known psychiatrist it allowed him to work the hours he liked.
But no matter what they where doing Sundays had become secret to them, as where Saturday evening.
Clarice had long since given up thinking about her old life, but today she thought of Brigham who died for nothing, Ardelia who had become section chief for behavior science. Crawford had died, or disappeared, who knew he was gone. Pearshall had become a politician, but had a rather unfortunate run in with a hooker; he had to hide away somewhere.
All her nemesis where gone, Ardelia tried still to capture Lecter because she was convince that he had kill Clarice.
It had never occurred to Clarice to tell Ardelia that. Clarice felt no need to tell her anything; it would only be used as a clue to their whereabouts. And that was a chance Clarice wasn't willing to take.
It was almost ironic to look at it now. Ardelia had the seat in the FBI that Clarice had once worked so hard to get, and now she was the hunter, she had been for 3 years.
And for those 3 years there had been no close encounters. Ardelia had never been close, and Clarice couldn't help but wonder why. Perhaps she was blinded.
Clarice had found heaven someplace she wouldn't have thought looking for it. of all the men in the world she had to end up with a cannibal. It was Clarice's private joke. Life had a funny way of turning out.
She could hear Hannibal in the kitchen. She wondered how he would be as a father, he was strict when it came to their safety, and if she looked away from the things he had done, then he was loving, he loved her, as she loved him. All people had some things that others saw as a mistake. Clarice had never asked him to stop, not in a thousand years.
Had he killed since she took up her roots and traveled with him? Yes, rude people were everywhere, and had he killed to keep them together, oh yes. Had he eaten them? And more important had she?
Clarice didn't know, and really, it wasn't something she thought about. Hannibal cooked from time to time, even though they had a staff en enjoyed it too much. Clarice never asked what it was; she only knew that it tasted wonderful. So the thought of her self as a cannibal didn't disturb her nearly as much as it should have.
Clarice opened her eyes; the room was bathed in lavish morning sunlight. The air streaming in from the open window cooled the white silk sheets.
Hannibal opened the door, he didn't look older then when she had seen him at Chesapeake, Clarice felt as young as ever, the years took gently to her, and now that she was pregnant she felt even younger.
Clarice often pictured herself, sitting at her desk in the bureau, looking twice as old as she was, doing nothing but paper work. It would have been a self made prison. Nothing at all like this.
She wondered why it took her ten years to see it; luckily he was there even when the last veil fell from her eyes. How long had he stood in the shadows and watched her, waiting.
Clarice felt sad thinking about all the wasted time, time she had lost. Hannibal of cause didn't see it that way, to him that time was as valuable as the time they have spent together.
Clarice looked owner of those maroon eyes; he was still standing in the door, his head slightly titled to the side.
"Good morning my dear, I trust you slept well." Hannibal walked into the room; his charisma filled the air and the room.
"Good morning my love, yes I slept very well. At least for the time you let me sleep." Clarice shot him a sheepish grin as he moved over to the bedside. Carefully arranging the breakfast.
"As I recall my dear, it was your request that kept us from sleeping." Clarice knew the battle was lost, but not the war she would get back at him.
Clarice looked at the arranged fruits, she didn't feel hungry, but she tried to eat a little.
Well better get this over with. "There is something we should talk about." Hannibal didn't miss the serious note in her voice. "Have you notice any changes around here lately?" Clarice tried to keep her voice light. "Hmm." Hannibal took time to go through his memory palas. "No, why do you ask?"
"Well there could be some major changes around here." Clarice had never thought about having an abort until now, what if he didn't want a child, and what kind of life could they offer a child, they where on the run. Clarice suddenly became nervous.
"Clarice what are you talking about?" well here goes. "I'm pregnant."
At the very moment Clarice wished for a camera, Hannibal's mouth stood wide open and all his emotions was on his face. It was laughable if it hadn't been for the seriousness in it.
When Hannibal continued to say nothing but simply starred at her, she got worried, and started to babble. "I understand if you don't want it, I mean we're on the run, what kind of life is that to offer a child, it's just that." Hannibal laid his finger over her lips. "Hush." There was nothing but pure joy and love in his eyes, but it wasn't enough to settle Clarice.
Tears were beginning to show in Clarice's eyes. Hannibal removed the tray with the breakfast and moved closer. "shh. It's okay." He held Clarice to his chest, he could see that she was upset, but it had come as a great surprise to him, he had never thought that he would be a father, not even after all those years with Clarice. It would mean changes, but they where changes that he was willing to make. He was going to be a father.
When Clarice had calmed down, Hannibal continued to talk. "What made you think I wouldn't want to have a child?" he strokes her hair, while still holding her in his strong arms.
"I just thought, when you didn't say anything, that..." Clarice sobbed a bit more before continuing. "That you where disappointed with me."
Hannibal smiled to himself, his Starling ever so strong, even she needed to hear that he loved her.
"I love you Clarice, I would never be disappointed with you." He lifted up her chin and covered her lips with his own.
A/N as you can see this chapter is bit longer, but as I keep adding new chapters I thought it would be better to make the chapters longer so that I don't end up with a story that has 200+ chapters.
Tell dear reader if that is a good idea, longer but fewer chapters, I'm dying to hear.
